Celso Torrelio

Celso Torrelio Villa (3 June 1933 – 23 April 1999) was a military general and a member of the Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces (1981), who served as the de facto 58th president of Bolivia from 1981 to 1982.

A native of Padilla, department of Chuquisaca, Torrelio joined the Bolivian Army and rose to the rank of general.

The high command of the Military of Bolivia at that point entrusted General Celso Torrelio with the presidency.

Although the military's idea was to replace the polarizing García Meza with a less controversial and more acceptable leader equally committed to the principles of the anti-communist National Security Doctrine, their plan did not come to fruition.

Faced with the choices of mounting a fresh repressive campaign to re-equilibrate the reeling regime (with the increased international isolation such a move would entail) or call elections, the high command chose the latter.